What on earth is this thing!?!  At first glance, it looks like some kind of mini space-craft from an alien planet that’s about to take some kind of useful information about earth to a mother ship…

Maybe it’s a new tool that your doctor’s office is using for…

Perhaps it’s a handheld heating device?

How about this year’s hottest child’s toy (step aside, Tickle Me Elmo…)

ACTUALLY, it’s The American Red Cross Road Torq – a tiny device (fits comfortably in your car’s glove box) that serves as a hands free  flashlight and red flashing safety beacon.  Crank this little thing for only two minutes and you’ll get a full 15 minutes of light to change that flat tire in the middle of the night or dig through your trunk to find that missing shoe.

What else can this sweet little device be used for?  Perhaps you’d like to put it in your camping or backpacking gear…  Maybe it would be helpful as you’re digging through your attic for a box that you “swore” was right over there…Maybe the kids would get a kick out of it for slumber parties?

Now we’re always promoting preparedness here, so why not have something COOL looking to help prepare your car too?  Besides, you can always make your passengers try to figure out what it is on long road trips.  So many uses…

There’s a lot of space weather because the sun burps [NASA]

Old letters are fun to see [Roberthuffstutter on Flickr]

A Red Cross pin board [Liz Le Dorze Pinterest]

Things I would do during a zombie apocalypse [Graph Jam, hat tip to Michael Windle]

Volunteer Emily is headed to South Africa [Carolina Piedmont Red Cross blog]

Reading about the deep snowfalls and bitterly cold temperatures in my hometown (it didn’t, nor will it, snow where I live now) reminded me that my winter emergency preparedness kits – especially the preparedness kit I keep in my car – are in desperate need of updating.  You know how it goes…one child needs a granola bar to survive soccer practice, another needs an extra water bottle after soccer practice, and a third needs a Band-Aid and an ice pack after an on-field collision.  It only took a few soccer practices to completely wipe out my car preparedness kit.

Is your car stocked and ready for winter?  If not, read on and then commit an hour of your time to making sure you and your family will remain safe in your car in the event of a weather-related emergency.

The contents of your vehicle winter preparedness kit will likely differ from the contents in your home winter preparedness kit and depend on where in the United States you live (if you live in central Texas, like me and where it never snows, you won’t need the same supplies as someone who lives in the Midwest or the Northeast, where Mother Nature can dump feet of snow in a matter of hours).  When pulling together your car kit, start with the basics and then consider the weather conditions in your region of the country, the storage space available in your car, and your travel habits/plans to determine which additional items will serve you best in an emergency.

Basics

• Bottled water
• High-calorie, nonperishable food
• First aid kit
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Cell phone charger
• Blanket or sleeping bag
• Tow company telephone number

Tools

• Jumper cables
• Road flares
• Multi-purpose tool
• Collapsible shovel
• Jack and lug wrench
• Tire gauge
• Fix-a-flat spray

Other

• Poncho or rain gear
• Windshield scraper
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• Bag of kitty litter
• Tire chains or tow chain
• Waterproof matches
• Duct tape
• Antifreeze
• Oil

If you’re not able to pull together all of these items on your own, consider getting the ball rolling with an American Red Cross Emergency Preparedness Kit and then adding to it as needed.  Click here to visit the American Red Cross store, and here and here for my favorite kits.

Silhouette Smoke Alarm [Apartment Therapy]

Oregon floods, winter storms [Oregon Trail Red Cross Blog]

Disclaimer: the author of this post is from Southern California and has not been very familiar with cold winters for a few years.  Any misrepresentations of winter can be attributed to her lack of experience.

With Old Man Winter finally hitting parts of the United States, ski resorts are doing their best snow dances, while everyone else is starting to buckle down for a long haul inside.  The American Red Cross has been at the leading edge of preparedness for decades, and every year has brought you our Winter Storm Safety Checklist which is chock full of information to keep you and you loved ones safe before, during and after a storm; but how does one prepare for the dozens of hours that will be spent inside while the storm rages outside?  Today, we would like to provide you with a few “other” Winter preparedness items to include.

Indoor Fort Supplies

This will include blankets, sheets, chairs, and some other sturdy furniture.  However, your indoor fort building skills may have diminished over the years.  Don’t fret, Apartment Therapy has some very easy to follow instruction, design ideas and decor inspirations for the young and mature.

Movies

Having a family movie night is an idea that’s an oldie but still a goodie.  Either go rent a variety of movies, or turn on your favorite movie streaming service.  Be sure to buy popcorn and candy for a full movie night experience.  You can even combine fort building with movie night!

Games

Board games are a great way to avoid getting bored!  Other games can include Charades, tick-tack-toe, Texas Hold ‘em, or you can get creative and come up with a karaoke/dance competition (be sure to have your First Aid Kit on hand in case this game goes awry).  Maybe buy a few small prizes or allow the winner to get out of doing the dishes that day.

Sleds

Depending on how adventurous you’re feeling, you can go sledding during or after a snowstorm.  Sometimes going down a hill isn’t enough, so you might want to build a Sled Mountain - in which case, go ahead and grab that First Aid Kit again.

So enjoy Old Man Winter as much as you can, and don’t forget to check out our more “traditional” winter preparedness tips so you and your family will be able to tackle the season with confidence!

Hurricane Cookies [Instructables]

O Positive (or not) [Burdens Do a Body Good]

First Aid Kit Releases new music video [PerezHilton]*

Google Flu Trends is a powerful early warning system for emergency departments [Science Daily]

Social Media Tracks Disease Spread [Scientific American]

2 years ago today, Haiti was struck by an earthquake. Our work there has made significant progress and there’s still much to do. We just want to take a moment today to think of all those who were affected and to thank all of you who came together so beautifully to help.

* We just get a kick out of the name of this band.

Clark: We’re kicking off our fun old-fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.

Audrey: We’re not coming all the way out here just to get one of those stupid ties with Santa Clauses on it, are we?

Clark: No, I have one of those at home. What we’re looking for today is the “Griswold family Christmas tree.”

You’ve found the perfect holiday tree, strapped it to the roof of your car and made it home…time to decorate!  However, before you unleash your inner Griswold and put all the glitz and glam on your beloved tree, the Red Cross and The Muppets have a few tips keeping your holiday merry and bright.

Christmas Tree Care

• Purchase flame retardant metallic or artificial trees.
• If you purchase a real tree, make sure that it has fresh, green needles that aren’t easily broken. Keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water.
• Use a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over.
• Keep trees at least three feet away from heat sources, including fireplaces, portable heaters, radiators, heat vents and candles.
• Make sure that any light strings or other decorations for the tree are in good condition and follow manufacturer’s instructions for their use. Do not use anything with frayed electrical cords.
• Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree.
• Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove.
• Safely dispose of trees as they become dry and needles begin to drop.
• Dispose of trees through recycling centers or community pick-up services. Dried-out trees should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house or garage.

Holiday Lights and Decorations

• Always unplug tree and holiday lights before leaving home or going to bed.
• Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear.
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets by not linking more than three light strands.
• Use decorations that are flame-resistant or flame-retardant

Place decorations at least three feet away from fireplaces, portable heaters, radiators, heat vents and candles.

Now to sum this advice up, our friends The Muppets, have graciously teamed up with UL Laboratories to give the Griswold in you a little friendly tree advice.

I won’t list all 24 (my complete list begins on November 1st and continues through Thanksgiving on November 24th) here, but I will share my top seven in hopes they get the ball rolling on all of us sharing what we’re thankful for this holiday season.

I’m thankful…
- For my mom, who encouraged me to take my very first Red Cross Health & Safety course (Babysitter’s Training) when I was 11 years old.

- For my very first Red Cross supervisor, who looked past my youth and inexperience, recognized my passion for the Red Cross mission, and opened the Red Cross employment door for me.

- For the supervisors and co-workers who followed, who taught me the ins and outs of – as well as how to survive and thrive in – this complex and extensive organization. Oh, and they also taught me all of the Red Cross acronyms.

- For an inspirational elementary school teacher and her enthusiastic and creative third, fourth, and fifth grade students, who taught me as an adult that you don’t have to be old enough to donate blood to save hundreds of lives a year.

- For the generous individuals whose seemingly routine (to them) blood donations saved the life of a wonderful friend of mine.

- For my CPR training, without which I may not have known how to clear my nine-month-old son’s airway when he choked on a Cheerio.

- For ALL of the volunteers with whom I’ve worked and without whom the Red Cross could not exist. There are few greater gifts than one’s time, and Red Cross volunteers give that gift more graciously and generously than any other group of people I have ever have the privilege of knowing.

W.J. Cameron said, “Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”

How will you actively give thanks this week? Will you put your Red Cross training into action by teaching a CPR class or responding to a house fire? Will you donate blood, assemble Comfort Kits, or serve a meal to someone in need?

Or will you share what you’re thankful for – Red Cross-related or otherwise – in the Comments section below or on the American Red Cross Facebook page? Take this easy first step toward actively giving thanks, and then see where it leads.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Although Thanksgiving isn’t until next week, we’re sure those of you who are in charge of this famous dinner centerpiece are madly looking at recipes, making multiple trips to the grocery store, and starting your prep cooking.

Did you know that the average number of house fires DOUBLES on Thanksgiving Day – cooking is the leading culprit of these fires…so you may not want to try and channel your inner Paula Dean, unless you’ve trained her well.  One of the largest incidents of these home fires stems from the growing trend to deep fry turkeys.  Deep frying seems like a good option because: 1) it takes a lot less time to cook the turkey than baking it and 2) you have a better chance of having a beautifully moist turkey; and if you’ve eaten your fair share of over-baked turkey, you may want to convert to the fryer.

To help you, our good friends at the Department of Homeland Security have some good advice for those attempting to fry turkeys

1. Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.
2. Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck.
3. Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
4. Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
5. Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
6. To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
7. Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
8. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
9. The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.
10. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help.

For the more visual learners, here is a video from State Farm of what can happen if you do not follow the proper guidelines for frying your turkey:

State Farm Turkey Explosion